


Instinct

by LAStoryWriterAlex



Series: Instinct [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkward Romance, Daenerys POV, F/M, Jon Snow knows MANY things, Jonerys Monthly Events: October - Alternate Universe, Loss of Virginity, Mating Rituals, No Dialogue, No specific real world or WOIAF location, Pre-Civilization, Pre-Language, a cave is involved, aka Jon Snow trying to get a pretty girl to like him, body language only, but pretty fucking fluffy as well, cavemen kinda?, decent amount of smut, right proper lad, somewhere between rainforest and regular forest setting, totally didn't have this in mind when I started writing it but...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-09
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-28 13:56:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16243022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LAStoryWriterAlex/pseuds/LAStoryWriterAlex
Summary: "She heard a twig snap behind her and spun around, heart beating quick as a hummingbird’s wings inside her chest. A lone figure emerged from behind a tree, watching her; she should have known. HIM. The dark-featured male that had wandered into the area a few days ago. She sighed, somewhat in relief that it wasn't something else, but eyed him warily all the same. Sometimes newcomers were harmless. Other times they were not..."





	Instinct

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/49702299@N02/30255993977/in/dateposted-public/)

 

_A/N: Okay guys, I have no idea where this came from. I still am not even sure what it is. But I saw it in my mind’s eye and so I wrote it. I guess you could call it pre-civilization? Cavemen...kinda? Whatever. Jon and Dany are both still human but this is pre-society, pre-language, no specific real-world or Westeros/Essos location, rainforest-y/regular forest-y setting, not at all well-researched, but…I don’t care so…yeah, I’ll just leave it at that._

 

She heard a twig snap behind her and spun around, heart beating quick as a hummingbird’s wings inside her chest. A lone figure emerged from behind a tree, watching her; she should have known. _Him._ The dark-featured male that had wandered into the area a few days ago. She sighed, somewhat in relief that it wasn’t something else, but eyed him warily all the same. Sometimes newcomers were harmless. Other times they were not.

The first time she had seen him was in this exact spot and he had surprised her then too. She had been floating lazily in the cool water of her little pool, occasionally giggling at the friendly nip of a fish to her fingers and toes. The natural sounds of the forest and the waterfall drowned out everything else so she hadn’t heard him approach and didn’t know how long he had been watching her.

She sank below the surface of the water, pushing her pretty pale hair back from her face, and kicked up, breaking the surface again and breathing heavily but feeling exhilarated. She loved the water and so never ventured very far from this place. It was home.

That was, until movement amongst the trees caught her eye, startling her. She darted behind a large rock on the edge of the pool, cautiously lifting her head just enough to see what threat awaited her outside the safety of the water. And of course, sitting as relaxed as ever, leaning back on his hands, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, she saw _him._ Dark curly hair, wild and framing his face. Dark eyes, watching her intently. Pale skin, as if he spent much of his days under shelter, instead choosing to prowl at night like some of the jungle cats and carnivorous birds. He was lean and muscular but his chest and torso were marred, clearly no stranger to altercations, with jungle cats or other two-legged beings, she couldn’t be sure.

Not liking the looks of him and his too-calm demeanor, she had fled to the safety of the waterfall, sitting on the rock behind it, waiting for him to leave. She didn’t dare go back to her nightly shelter until she was sure he was gone, not wanting him to follow her back there. He waited for her for a long while but when she had not come back out after midday, he left. But he didn’t stay gone for long.

Each day she came to the pool for her usual swim and to catch a few small fish to cook in the evening, and each day since the first he had come to watch her, daring to get closer and closer every time. Today was no different.    

She had just gotten out of the water and tied her animal skins around her body when he made his presence known. His lips quirked when she didn’t flee from him and his eyes roved over her body appreciatively, most of her still cool and wet from her swim. He didn’t make a sound as he approached, moving slowly, she guess so she wouldn’t be startled and run away from him again.

She sat back on her heels and pulled her long hair over her shoulder to ring out the water, wanting to appear as confident and unaffected by him as possible. This was _her_ spot and he needed to learn that quick. She would not be chased away from her home by this stranger, pleasing as she had now come to appreciate he looked. It was difficult though. More bold today than he had ever been, he walked right up and kneeled in front of her, seeming not to care at all about the fact that they were unfamiliar with each other, his face only a foot away from her own. Still wanting to seem poised and unruffled, she stared at him defiantly, refusing to turn away.

Taking her stillness as acceptance, he came closer, sniffing at her temple, her lips, her throat. It was too intimate, too close, but she couldn’t move, rooted to the spot by either fear or excitement…or both. So she closed her eyes, shutting him out, a part of her hoping he would leave soon, another part wanting him to stay, as she was getting more and more curious of him.

She felt him back away and opened her eyes again to find he had sat himself next to her. _What does he want?_ Suddenly he reached out for a lock of her hair but she pushed him away harshly, afraid he would take hold and drag her away by it, to what end, she couldn’t imagine, but knew it wouldn’t be good. He caught himself before he fell back and he stared at her, brow furrowed in confusion, almost hurt. Gazing back into his wide grey eyes, she slowly had to accept he may not be there to harm her. In fact, nothing in his actions or attitude communicated hostility. And, after all, her hair was much longer and lighter than his. It probably fascinated him. Why wouldn’t he want to touch it?

She sighed and tilted her head toward him, the damp locks grazing his arm and thighs. Ever so gently, he picked up a handful of it, letting the strands run over his fingers, his expression nothing but pure delight. And for some reason, knowing she had pleased him made _her_ happy.

He took a bigger handful and brought it up to his nose, closing his eyes as he inhaled deeply and she secretly hoped he liked it, though she wasn’t sure why his approval mattered to her. As if he wanted more, he came closer and buried his nose in the hair tucked behind her ear, his touch making her shiver.

He lingered there, his nose trailing around her ear and down her neck, skin barely touching skin, the light contact tickling her. He leaned back then, breathing heavily and she was breathing heavy too. Why was it so exciting interacting with this stranger?

He had very interesting hair as well, dark, short, curly. _So_ very curly. Tentatively, she raised a hand toward it and he grabbed her and guided her to his hair in encouragement, leaning his head into her touch. She ran her fingers through the soft tresses and lightly scratched his scalp as she combed through and his eyes closed, his own fingers lightly trailing over her wrist and forearm making her feel oddly relaxed and at peace.

Suddenly he shook her hand from his hair and stood, beginning to walk away and confusing her greatly. _What just happened?_ She started to stand too but he turned back and shook his head. He held up a hand and she understood. _Stay._ Dipping down behind the tree she had spotted him at moments before, he picked up a large hide satchel and made his way back to her. Plopping back down at her side, he extracted an peculiar looking plant and a large sharpened piece of what appeared to be bone. That was very clever of him. Mostly she used sharpened sticks for cutting things and they always dulled quickly. But perhaps bone was better at keeping its edge.

He set to work then, cutting off the leafy top first and immediately she could smell the sweetness. _Fruit._ Her cheeks flushed and her throat constricted as she realized what he was doing. He had brought this especially for _her._ Beaming at him, she watched in fascination as he cut off the bumpy, spiky, yellow and green sides to expose the bright yellow flesh underneath. Her mouth began to water as he sliced disk-shaped pieces and she hoped it tasted as delicious as it smelled.  

Once he had carved up the fruit, he picked up a piece and held it out to her in offering, making her smile widen. She reached for it eagerly but he pulled back and gave her a stern glare. She frowned in confusion. Wasn’t he giving it to her? Again, she lifted her hand for it but he pulled back, this time also shaking his head and tapping his mouth with his free hand. _He wants to feed me._ He held the piece of fruit in front of her but didn’t force it upon her. He was making it her choice whether to accept and eat it from his hand or…she could simply leave. But the prospect of walking away from him when he was staring at her so expectantly was almost a physical pain. She couldn’t leave him.

Heart beating wildly again, she opened her mouth, letting him slide the dripping yellow fruit between her lips. She closed her eyes as she bit into it, the tart sweetness so good she groaned, never before having experienced such a treat. _Where had he gotten this?_ As she chewed and swallowed, she noticed his breathing pick up, and when she met his gaze, his pupils were blown wide, nearly engulfing the grey.

Her own breath was momentarily stolen as she became more aware of just how close he was. If he wanted to, he could pin her down, sink his teeth and nails into her flesh and she would have no power to fight him, to stop him from killing her. He almost looked as if he wanted to fight right now but instinctively she knew he would not harm her. No, something else was happening here. Something she wasn’t familiar with, didn’t know how to respond to, but her body was thrumming with it. _What is this feeling?_

Whatever it was, she knew he felt it too, watching his chest rise and fall quick as if he’d just been chased through the trees by a jungle cat _._ He held the fruit out to her once more but leaned closer, watching her fixedly as she took another bite. Sweet juice ran down her chin and she was about to swipe at it with the back of her hand but he seized her wrist firmly. Dipping down, he caught the juice with his tongue, warm and wet, licking from her neck all the way up to her mouth, finishing by giving a small nip to her bottom lip and she gasped.

He smirked, knowing she had liked it and her cheeks flushed once more. What was this easy intimacy between them? Why did she trust him so much so quickly? And why did it feel so _good_ to be near him? As she pondered these new, strange sensations, he continued to feed her, occasionally teasing her with a bite, only to steal it for himself, grinning wickedly as he did so, making her laugh.

Once, she noticed a trickle of juice run down _his_ chin and neck and eyed him cautiously, wondering, wanting. Cradling his neck in her hand, she leaned forward and touched her lips to him, sucking up the sweet liquid, starting at his chin but working her way down as far as the juice had run, lapping the last of it off his firm chest. She sat back to find that he was gaping at her, perhaps in shock at her boldness. She quirked her eyebrows at him, quite pleased with herself.

When all the fleshy bits of fruit had been finished off, they were both sticky with it. Without hesitating or waiting for her approval, he pulled off the animal skins covering her body and took her hand, guiding her toward the water. _He wants to bathe me._ But he was still covered and she didn’t think it was very fair for her to be bare and him not. Wanting to make them even, she reached for the hide around his waist to undress him, as he had her. Yet when she gripped the hem of it, he stopped her, grabbing her wrist again sternly. For reasons she wasn’t quite sure of, this made her incredibly angry with him. She had never seen him bare before and he had spied her uncovered body many times.

His face was red and he wouldn’t quite meet her gaze but she no longer cared. If he wouldn’t uncover himself for her, she saw no reason to stay, as he clearly didn’t trust her as much as she thought he did. Yanking her hand free from his grip, she turned to pick up her clothing, hoping she didn’t look as upset as she actually was. How could she be so foolish? She needed to get back to her shelter and start a fire for the night, find a meal more filling than sweet yellow fruit, and yet she had wasted so much of the day with him, forgetting all her responsibilities. It would be sundown soon and she had done nothing to prepare, all because of _him._

A gentle hand caressed her back and she stood, hating how good it felt when he touched her, but nearly powerless to make herself walk away. He turned her around to face him, holding onto her upper arms and resting his forehead against hers. _He doesn’t want me to leave._ Slowly, he guided her hands to the ties at his hip and she looked up, searching his face for permission. He gave her a single nod and looked away, leaving her to wonder just why he was so distressed at the possibility of being bare in front of her. She could see all the ugly, jagged scars on his face and chest. Surely the parts of him she hadn’t seen could be any worse.  

A small gasp escaped her as his covering fell to the ground. _What is_ **_wrong_ ** _with him?_ His shaft was rigid and swollen and a deep red, jutting out toward her, the tip now just coming to rest on her belly. Automatically, she lifted a hand, mesmerized, but he snatched her wrist away yet again and she immediately felt bad for trying to touch him. It looked incredibly painful. Embarrassed, she worried her lip between her teeth, hoping she hadn’t offended him. He cupped her face between both his hands and tilted it up, forcing her look at him.

But instead of finding anger or annoyance there, she was surprised to see him smiling, as if nothing made him happier than to have her in his arms. And she felt the same, closing her eyes as his thumbs caressed her cheeks and he nuzzled at her temple. She pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around him, taking in his scent, pressing her fingers into the hard muscles of his back, absorbing the warmth of his skin. She knew this feeling. She loved this feeling. He made her feel… _Safe._

Letting go of her face, he took by the hand and led her to the water again, intent on finishing his mission to bathe her. She still considered it _her_ pool but she let him have control, for now, secretly delighting in the way he guided her so carefully into the water, wanting to make sure she didn’t slip though she knew this place much better than he did.

Once they were both in, he used a rock to chip off a bit of clay from the edge of the water, motioning for her to turn away from him and pull her hair over one shoulder. Gently but firmly, he rubbed the piece of clay over her back, sloughing away the dirt and grime much better than she could have on her own. His hands were all over her and oh so attentive, no bit of skin neglected. Her back, under her arms, her breasts, her belly, her thighs, her bottom, her feet, all tended to with so much care. When she rubbed off the residue of the clay, and looked down, her skin was fresh and pink.

She wanted to return the kindness and took the bar of clay from him, beginning on his back as he had her. But instead of giving her complete control, he guided her hands over him quickly, apparently impatient about something. Suddenly, she wondered if he was trying to get away now and the cruel thought nearly choked her. _No, he can’t leave!_

Not knowing what else to do, she wrapped her arms around his chest, resting her cheek to his back. _Stay. Please stay._ He allowed her to hold onto him for several moments but eventually pulled her hands off and turned around, yet again, he was smiling. He sat back in the water and spun her, pulling her into his lap and moving her hair off her back once more. _What is he doing?_

Her answer came when he began at her left shoulder, both hands powerful and firm as they kneaded into her flesh and she groaned at his touch. It was sweet and painful all at once, his hands much stronger and cleverer than her own as they worked the ache out of her muscles. Just as when he had washed her, he took his time with this, leaving no bit of her unattended to.

When he squeezed her breasts, she gasped, the pleasure much more acute here, especially when he took her pebbled nipples between his fingers and pinched and twisted them. She cried out and turned back to look at him over her shoulder, unsurprised to find his pupils wide again. He was filling her with sensation, a need she didn’t know how to satisfy. But she trusted him. Trusted him to help her through it.

He was breathing heavily, tightened his hold on her and she knew he felt the same hunger, a yearning, desire that was not for food or water or sleep. This was much sharper, more urgent. He buried his face into her neck and ground his pelvis into her bottom, confusing her further but only fanning the flame of this new craving, the culmination of her need meeting at the juncture of her thighs. She wanted to be facing him. Wanted him between her legs where the ache was so he could soothe it, how she did not know, but felt that he did.

With difficulty, she wrested herself from his grip and turned, finding him wild-eyed. But as they watched each other, breathing slowly returning to normal, he seemed to come back to himself, nodding his head as if a decision was made. He got out of the water and offered her a hand to help her out as well, ringing out her hair for her and dressing her, then himself, hurriedly. _What happens now?_

He packed his bone-knife into his satchel and slung it over a shoulder, looking around to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anything else. He took both her hands in his then and looked deep into her eyes, their faces so close his warm breath caressed her lips, and she knew what he wanted…   _Come with me._

All she could do was nod, suddenly not wanting to be parted with him for even a moment. His responding grin lit up his whole face and he touched his lips roughly to hers to show his excitement. Breathlessly, they pulled away from each other and he entwined his fingers with hers, leading her through the trees.

 

They walked for a very long time, going through a part of the jungle she had never been before. When the sun dipped below the trees, she pulled closer to him, not wanting to be out in the open when night fell. But he just wrapped an assuring arm around her and continued to lead her over tree roots and through overgrown ferns, stomping menacingly at the occasional snake that dared to raise its head and hiss as they passed by.

Just when she was starting to regret coming with him, her heart beginning to beat quicker in fear once more, he led her to a small clearing just in front of the beginnings of a mountain, a crack in the rock big enough to fit through. He turned back to her then, eyeing her anxiously. She looked around and noticed all the tell-tale signs of permanence. A stack of dry branches next to the rock opening, a circle of rocks enclosing char and ash - a fire pit. Other little odds and ends - a few spears leaning against the rock wall, a net made of vine, other tools she wasn’t sure what they were for. _This is his home._ And he had brought her here, wanted her to see it.

She nodded and smiled and he sighed with relief, taking her by the hand once more to pull her into the rock opening. It was a narrow fit but once the rock opened up, the inside was vast, tall enough to stand in and leading back deep into the dark. It was difficult to see with so little light coming through the passageway but he knew his way around very well. He led her to what she felt was a pile of soft furs and sat her down on it, cupping her face briefly and touching his lips to hers again, this time much gentler, the contact sweet and promising. All of this was new and unfamiliar to her and she guessed for him as well. But whatever it was, they were discovering it together.

He lit the fire in the middle of the cave in no time and she marveled at his expertise. The space quickly filled up with warmth and she shivered, the heat pleasantly soaking into her very bones. Kneeling in front of her again, he encouraged her to lie back and get comfortable, covering her to warm her further. Tenderly, he caressed her face and tucked her hair behind her ear, briefly squeezing her hand in reassurance before he stood, making his way to the mouth of the cave.

But as he reached the opening, he stopped and turned back to her, his brow furrowed and he shook his head. She tilted her own head, wondering what was the matter but he held up a hand, wanting her to stay where she was. He went to a pile of belongings further back in the cave and began shuffling through them, looking for something. Finally, when he found whatever it was, he returned to her and had her sit up, gesturing for her to hold out her hands and cup them together. When she did, he placed the most beautiful stone there, see-through and the color of twilight, and he wrapped her fingers around it for her.

She looked up at him, stunned he would give her something so precious. He pointed to the stone and then gently tapped under her eye. _For the color of your eyes._ She let out a shaky breath, her violet eyes now filling with tears. He had been so observant, he had gone out and found a stone the color of her eyes just so he could give to her as a gift. He flashed her one last smile and again touched his lips to hers, then made his way out of the cave, to do what, she wasn’t sure, but she would certainly wait here for him to come back.

She lay back once more and burrowed herself into his furs, leaving only her head and hand exposed, holding the beautiful stone up to the light of the fire so she could admire it. No one had ever treated her in such a way before, so full of care. A few others lived fairly near to her, mostly female, one of whom with very dark skin was quite a good companion of hers. But their acquaintance was different. Maybe they would occasionally hunt or swim together, even sharing shelter during the cooler periods for extra warmth, but something was missing. It was not like it was with this male.

He had done so much so quickly to try to gain her affection…and it worked. She had only been aware of his presence for a few days, had only intimately interacted with him on this day, but she couldn’t imagine parting with him. She wanted to sleep next to him every night, have him feed her more of that sweet yellow fruit, bathe and play together in her pool. She inhaled deeply, his scent clinging to the furs filling her nose, making her feel lazy and at peace.

 

He returned to her just before dark, a fat floppy-eared rabbit swinging in his grasp and her cheeks flushed again at the thought of him _hunting_ for her. She could do it herself, was perfectly capable of catching rabbits, fish, even the odd lizard. But he wanted to do it for her and that thought made her feel light and blissful and made her want to do whatever she could to show him how much she appreciated it.

She sat up and motioned for the rabbit so she could prepare it but like she knew he would, he shook his head. It made her wonder if all males were like this, needing to be in control all the time, or if it was just him. He had been so kind to her and along with wanting to show him her gratitude, she also wanted to show him she wasn’t useless. She stood and made her way over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his tenderly. His answering sigh made the muscles in her belly clench in a way they never had before and she gasped as he wrapped his free arm around her, squeezing tight. But not wanting to get sidetracked, she pulled back from him, with difficulty, and rubbed a hand to the side of his cheek, motioning for the rabbit with the other hand. _Please let me do this for us._ When he didn’t let go of the rabbit she raised both eyebrows, _please._

Finally he gave in to her, handing it over, and she sat herself next to the fire, eager to impress him this time. He handed her a dark shard of some material she wasn’t familiar with but it was small and sharp, perfect for skinning. She set about her task skinning and gutting the rabbit much faster than she normally would by herself and when she looked up at him, his eyebrows were raised; he knew what she was doing. He broke into a smile then but she refused to smile back, wanting him to know she could be serious when it came to matters of survival.

Finally she had the rabbit speared and sizzling over the fire and sat back to admire her handy work. It really was a fat thing and she couldn’t wait to eat, the yellow fruit now a distant memory and her stomach growling in anticipation. Halfway through cooking the underside, her host got up and went to the back of the cave, rummaging in his belongings again. She hoped he didn’t have another gift for her. It was her turn to give him something and she hadn’t thought of anything yet she could find or make.

But when he came back to the fire, he had another one of those spiky fruits in hand, dowels through it on either side, she noticed to keep the top on, which had already been cut off. He pulled the dowels out and inside, instead of more of the yellow fruit, it had been hollowed and now held liquid. He took a brief sip of it, then poured a generous amount onto the rabbit and she could smell the sweet juice as it mixed with the fat and sizzled. He turned back to look at her, face split in a wide grin at her astonishment. He really was so clever. She had never before thought flavor meat in such a way. It made her wonder if he did this for himself every night when he prepared food or if it was just for her.

He looked inside the fruit rind and handed it to her, offering her a drink. Excitedly, she took a generous gulp, thinking it would taste exactly as the fruit pieces had earlier in the day. But no! It had turned or was mixed with something and burned all the way down her throat, making her sputter and cough. When she heard him laughing heartily, she glared at him; she couldn’t believe he would trick her so! Taking pity on her, he handed her another skin full of liquid and she hoped for _his_ sake it was water. She sniffed it all the same just to make sure, and he continued to chuckle as he took the putrid drink away from her and she guzzled the water greedily, wanting her throat to stop burning.

Swirling the rancid beverage once more, he held up his thumb and forefinger very close together. _A little bit._ He took another small sip to demonstrate and offered it to her once more, wrapping his free arm around her, and rubbing her back in comfort. So he hadn’t meant to trick her. He only wanted to impress her, she understood. She took the proffered refreshment and sniffed warily. The smell was very strong but she noticed it didn’t seem rotten. It was something else, something that made her feel just slightly lightheaded. She brought it to her lips and took a very small sip, swallowing slowly. It still stung but this time it was much easier to drink and she recognized the sweetness from the fruit she had liked so much. She decided she liked this drink as well, though the feeling of it as it went down was very intense. She took another small sip and handed it back to him, nodding, making him smile in relief.

He set the drink down somewhere behind him and pulled her close, draping her legs over his and she rested her head in the crook of his neck. He was so smart and warm and so very kind, it made her whole being ache for him. All she wanted was to stay in this cave with him, lying next to each under the furs every night, sipping his strong sweet drink, just existing together. It wasn’t often she felt the need to be around others, most of the females she was acquainted with solitary beings as well. But with him…having him watch her all those days, being close, then spending nearly this whole day with him… She never wanted it to end.   

 

A while later, he gently extricated himself from her and pulled the rabbit off the fire, blowing on it. Taking a tentative bite, he determined it was done and nodded at her. He held it out so she could take a piece but she shook her head, getting an idea. She pointed to him and then to her mouth. _You feed me._ The broad grin that broke over his face was knowing and one of immense satisfaction. He scooted over to her and sat behind her, wrapping his free arm around her midriff and pulling her flush against him. Tearing off a piece of the meat, he brought it to her mouth and she took his fingers between her lips, sucking on them slightly as she pulled the bite into her mouth. It was delicious, so sweet and tasty, the fruit and fat mixing to make the most wonderful flavor. Before he reached for another piece, she brought his fingers to her mouth, licking and sucking off the juice until he was clean. She could feel him breathing heavily behind her and guessed he must have enjoyed what she had done, that knowledge making her feel just a little smug and somewhat mischievous. Reaching for the rabbit, she tore off a piece of meat and brought her hand up to his mouth, wanting to feed him too, and he let her, eyes locked to hers as he sucked on her fingers as she had his.

On it went, both of them alternating between giving and receiving, occasionally nuzzling each other affectionately between bites, until only bones remained, and she felt sated in a way she never quite had before. When she looked up toward the mouth of the cave, it was fully dark out, the night alive with the chirping of insects, cawing of nocturnal birds, a few distant calls of big cats. There was certainly no way she could go back to her shelter now, and of course, she didn’t want to.

Gently, he took her chin between his fingers and turned her to look at him once more. Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against hers, the touch so simple, yet so full of meaning. _You are mine._ When he pulled away slightly, he reached down and tugged off the coverings on her feet, tossing them to the side and she knew he meant to fully undress her again; he wanted her to stay with him tonight and sleep beside him. The relief she felt at knowing he wanted her to stay was bone deep.

Like she had predicted, his hand went to the ties of the skins covering her breasts, slowly dragging them apart to expose her to him, and he encouraged her to lie back into his sleeping furs. He lay down next to her on his side, propped up on one arm, gazing at her intently, adoringly and she felt the same. Though she loved the translucent stone he had given her that matched her eyes, _he_ was more precious to her. It felt so natural and satisfying having him next to her, she couldn’t stop touching him, rubbing his arm, caressing his neck, the side of his face. And he touched her as well, running a hand up her hip, her bare belly, her breast which he squeezed gently and toyed with her nipple until it was hard. He leaned closer and a thrill went through her as she realized he was going to put his mouth on her to suckle like a babe. She had no milk to offer him but he groaned anyway as he sucked, the pull of his mouth sending a rush of pleasure from her chest straight through to the sensitive flesh between her legs. She didn’t know why this was happening but it was wonderful all the same.

Threading her fingers through his soft curls, she arched into him, panting, wanting _more._ More of… _something,_ not quite sure what. Without taking his mouth away, he fumbled with the ties of the skins around her waist, desperate to have her completely bare for him again. And she tugged at his ties, wanting to see him as well, and he tore his clothing off, tossing it carelessly into a pile with hers.

His shaft was stiff and red again and hot she noticed, as it rested against her thigh. But he didn’t look to be in pain, nor had he when they were by her little pool she now remembered. Again, she wanted to touch it, completely fascinated at the difference in their bodies and never having had an opportunity to closely examine a male’s before. He gazed up at her, almost expectantly, and she slowly reached for him, careful to be as gentle as possible. He sucked in a breath as she took him in hand but didn’t stop her this time, letting her curl her hand around his girth, but he wanted more. Nodding at her encouragingly, he wrapped his own hand over hers and guided her in repeatedly stroking him from root to tip. When his hips started swaying in rhythm with her hand and he closed his eyes and moaned, realization slowly began to dawn on her.

Her suspicions were made even more clear when he finally pushed her hand away and shifted down the furs. With gentle hands, he parted her legs, dipping his head down to bury his nose in the pale curls at the juncture of her thighs, then swiped his tongue up her slit, making her squeal in delight, the feeling so foreign but oddly… _pleasurable._ When she looked down to meet his gaze, his eyelids were heavy, the meaning behind abundantly clear: _want._ Unable to resist another taste of her, he bent to lap at her folds some more, hands squeezing the cheeks of her bottom and kneading roughly, but she didn’t care, all of it felt _so good._

When he would swipe up, his tongue would caress a particularly sensitive spot, making her whimper. She wanted _more._ Sliding a hand down her belly and through her coarse curls, she touched herself, searching, and he watched curiously until she found the stiff little nub nestled at the top. The two of them locked eyes again and when she tapped her finger there, he grinned wickedly and leaned in, sucking the nub between his lips.

 _“Aaargh!”_ She let out a high pitched scream, her fingers threading through his hair once more, gripping tightly to hold him there, the feeling so intense. He grunted as he pleasured her, hips rutting into the furs under him, unable to keep still. Pitiful little cries fell from her lips as he kept at it, her eyes clenched shut, toes curled tight. And just when she thought she could take no more, her pleasure crested, reaching its peak…then tumbling rapidly over the edge, making her whole body shudder and convulse and she screamed again. _So good, so good, so good!_

She pushed away from him and wrapped her arms around herself, legs pressing tightly together against the ecstasy, her slick folds still spasming violently. When she caught her breath, she saw he was staring down at her, an eyebrow quirked but his lips pulled back in a smug grin. She broke into a fit of breathless giggles, her entire being flushed with warmth and desire for him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him over top of her, now fully aware of what came next and desperate for it. _Inside me. Inside me,_ **_please._ **    

He notched his hips into the cradle of hers, both of them breathing heavily in anticipation. She needed this. He needed this. It was something so primal, so natural, she didn’t know why she hadn’t understood before. She had seen other beasts mount each other. _Mating._ Some - like the pretty little birds native to the area - going through elaborate rituals, giving gifts, building grand shelters, doing dances and unique calls to attract a mate. Others, like the big cats, would simply smell one another and decide in an instant, no care, no tenderness to it at all really, parting shortly after the deed was done.

But her mate wouldn’t leave her, she knew. He had brought her here, fed her, washed her, showered her with affection, just like the pretty little birds. He meant to open his home, his life to her, to take care of her and make her happy so she would be his constant companion, warm and safe in this little cave, waiting for him each time when he would return. _Yours. I’m yours._

His face was very close to hers as he panted, lining up his length with her slick entrance. She bent her knees back, opening herself up to him even more, completely vulnerable and completely at his mercy, but trusting him fully. Then he jerked forward, savagely, delightfully, licking her mouth as he thrust himself roughly inside her, officially claiming her for his own.

She screamed yet again, head tilted back, mouth agape as she tried to suck precious air into her lungs. His head fell to her chest and he whimpered, overwhelmed by it as well. He felt so big, stretching her painfully, yet the burn of it was sweet; she couldn’t imagine what he felt, sensitive shaft squeezed tightly by her inexperienced flesh. _Move,_ she thought, _move, do it again, oh please do it again._ And as if he knew just what she was thinking, he pulled back and shoved himself inside her once more, only this time he didn’t stop, settling into a rhythm, grunting as he rutted into her over and over again.    

It was painful, terribly painful, but it hurt so good she never wanted it to end. He reached a hand behind her neck and tipped her mouth up to his, the caress rough yet passionate, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he thrust his manhood into her. She felt as if she were being consumed, as if he were trying to absorb her into himself so she would always be with him. _I’m yours._ She wrapped her legs tightly about his hips to show him, _I’m yours and you’re mine._ **_Mine._ **

When she felt the crest of her pleasure almost upon her again, she knew what to expect but knowing made it no less agonizing when it happened, ringing her insides over and over, the sensation like water flowing through her in an exhilarating and exhausting rush. She wailed and her inner walls spasmed around him, making him suck in a surprised breath and stare down at her in amazement. And then he was falling too, hips snapping wildly, head tipped back as he shouted his release. She felt him twitching inside her as they both worked to catch their breath, and that too felt delicious. _Inside me. You’re inside_ **_me._ **

Slowly, he pulled out of her and she felt a warm gush flow out, wetting her thighs. _His seed._ She wouldn’t know for sure whether or not they had made a babe until her belly started to swell but she hoped they had. When he rested a hand over her belly and looked upon her adoringly, she knew he wished for it too, and then she fell asleep in his arms, more at peace than she had ever felt in her entire existence.

 

It was still dark out when he nudged her awake, strong hands squeezing her breast, his length hot and hard again, pressed against her bottom. _He wants to go again._ And she was only too eager for it, spreading herself wide as she propped her leg back over both of his so he could enter her from behind. Like the first time, it hurt, though the sting wasn’t as bad for which she was thankful. But at this angle, it was almost an entirely different experience anyway, hitting a spot deep inside her that drove her wild. _Good. So good!_ Even better than before. And she loved that he could hold her in this position, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her, his face at her neck, occasionally sucking or biting lightly adding to all the new sensations she was already feeling. How had she gone each night without this? How had she gone without him?

His thrusts stuttered and he groaned into her neck, length twitching once more inside her, giving her his seed. She blinked in confusion as he pulled out of her and nuzzled her neck. Was that…surely they weren’t…but she hadn’t…were they done? He touched his lips to her shoulder and settled behind her once more, apparently to fall back asleep. But…

No. That wasn’t fair. She turned in his arms and shook him until his eyes popped open again. He stared at her sleepily, a brow quirked in question as to why she wasn’t falling asleep along with him. She huffed. How to explain? She looked down and his manhood was soft, now unusable. But of course it was. _He_ had finished. _My turn._ Not knowing how else to show him, she touched his lips, _Your mouth,_ then brought her hand down between her legs and tapped her little nub, _on me._

It took him a moment to realize what she was asking him for, but when his mouth popped open, eyes wide and cheeks flushing, she knew he understood. He too looked down at his softened length, biting his lip, giving an embarrassed groan when she let out a giggle. But when he looked up at her again, he nodded, showing he knew what she needed from him.

As he licked and sucked his way from her breasts, down her belly, to the apex of her thighs, she smiled serenely. He could have just ignored her and gone back to sleep. But he wanted her to feel good as well. He _cared._ And when he took her nub between his lips, he was very eager, as if wanting to reassure her that her pleasure was important to him. She keened softly, her sleepiness dulling her, dragging out the experience…but when he suddenly thrust two fingers inside her, her eyes sprang open and she cried out in surprise. _His hand!_ Her clever mate knew it would be some time before he could make his shaft hard for her once more, but he had figured out a way to bring her the same kind of pleasure by using his fingers instead, thrusting them into her. It wasn’t long before she was arching up off the furs, practically sobbing, it felt so good. When he came back up to lie next to her, he cupped her face in his hands and touched their foreheads together. _Please forgive me._ But she just hummed and pressed her lips to his, _You more than made up for it._ He smiled and held her close, pulling the furs around them - almost like their own little cocoon - and soon she was slumbering peacefully once more.

 

When she woke the next morning, he was gone, and while all of his things still remained in the cave, she couldn’t help the sudden panic she felt at him not being with her. He had to come back. _Had_ to…didn’t he?

It was well into the morning she noticed, walking outside, cuping her hand over her brow to shield her eyes from the sun. She looked around the little clearing and noticed several of his tools were missing, along with his hide satchel. Hunting. He was just out hunting so they had something to eat this morning. He would be back soon. _Soon._

 

Her stomach started rumbling and when she looked up at the sky, she saw the sun was at its highest point. _Midday._ And still he hadn’t come back to her. Her breathing quickened as she tried to come up with explanations as to why he wasn’t back. To quell her rising panic, she searched the nearby flora for something edible, quickly locating a tree containing her now second favorite fruit, picking a few for herself, starting to walk away, then realizing when he came back he would likely be hungry too so going back to pick a few extra. She used one of his strange dark knives to peel the skins and chop it up, heartbeat quickening with each task she completed that he still had not returned during. _Where are you?_

 

When the sun dipped below the treetops, she began to pace in front of the mouth of the cave, wondering where he could be, why he hadn’t returned. Had another female come across his path and he decided he would rather make her his mate instead? Had he been attacked? Hurt? Had he…no, she couldn’t even think of it. Already all her thoughts were of him, today, tomorrow, every day after, they had to contain him. She couldn’t think of a world without him in it. _Please be safe._ _Please come back._

 

When it started to get chilly and she was forced to start herself a fire, real panic set in. _He’s not coming back._ A rasping sob escaped her as she sat in front of the fire pit outside the cave, alone. _I will never see him again._ She buried her face in her hands, grief hitting her harder than anything she had ever felt. It wasn’t enough time. They hadn’t had enough time. All she got with him was one beautiful night and now… Her shoulders shook and she wept as she lay on her side, curled up next to the fire, unable to bring herself to leave, back to her own shelter. This was _his_ place, his home, and he had shared it with her. She couldn’t leave. She would spend the rest of her days here, absorbing his scent from the furs, thinking of him. And if his babe was in her belly, she would raise it here, surrounded by things that reminded her of him. She placed her hand over her flat belly. _It was only one night._ But it would be all she had left of him. So she had to hope…

 

Rustling in the trees startled her and she sat up, taking the dark knife in hand for protection. _If it’s a jungle cat, maybe it can eat me and we can be together once more._ Even in her fear of what threat awaited her beyond the light of her fire, the tears still streamed down her face in mourning for her mate. Tomorrow she would go out looking for his body, to see what became of him, touch her forehead to his cold one if she found him, and dig a place for him in the earth to rest.

The rustling got nearer and she stood her ground, waiting to take on the threat. She wouldn’t run, she wouldn’t hide. If this was her end, at least she could rest knowing she had felt love. A large shadow appeared, a creature unlike any she had ever seen before. Two-legs on the ground but four dangling from it’s top, and…were those antlers? Some other things, large on its side, swinging freely. What is this beast?

It bent down, just outside the light of her fire and…split itself in...two? _Oh!_ She let the knife slip out of her hand and she fell to the ground burying her face in her hand once more, sobs of relief now wracking her body. He looked up from the buck he had set down and rushed to her side, hands dragging her face up so he could examine her, looking for an injury as he clearly didn’t know she was crying because of him.

Then, thinking she was crying in hunger, he hauled her up and set her next to the buck so she could see the days and days of meals ahead of them. He untied a vine at his waist and held up his other catches, three fish and two more fat rabbits - easier, quicker meals as he knew the buck would take a few days to prepare and wouldn’t be ready for tonight.

She looked up at him, staring into those grey eyes she had missed all day, once thinking she would never get to see them again and the tears continued to fall, her gratitude at him returning, alive and unharmed having no other outlet. Looking him up and down, she noticed the satchel slung over his shoulder was full as well and tied to it was a bunch of flowers all different colors and scents and suddenly her cries turned to fitful giggles and hiccoughs, now realizing why he had been gone _all day._   

A few moments went by and he stared at her, puzzled. He untied the flowers and held them up. _For you._ When she didn’t take them, he reached into his satchel and began pulling out all its contents: two more sweet yellow fruits, a handful of pretty shells, and more translucent stones of all different colors. He shoved it all toward her in offering, his face panicstricken, and he held her hands tightly in his own. And then she understood. _He thinks_ ** _I’ll_** _leave._ The flowers, the fruit, the pretty stones and shells, the fish, the rabbits, the buck, all his way of trying to keep her here, as if he thought she would leave if he didn’t continue to shower her with gifts.

She sighed and smiled, tears still running down her cheeks. She pulled her hands away from his and pushed all his gifts away. _I don’t want that._ She crawled into his lap, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head under his chin, stroking his hair and humming when he embraced her tightly. _I just want you._  

**Author's Note:**

> Well, tell me what you guys think.


End file.
